Checkmate
by Lily Thorne
Summary: When Kagome, Inuyasha and Shippo go to the modern era for a week, Miroku decides to prove he cares for Sango. When a fact from her past surfaces, he may not only have to earn her love, he'll have to fight for it. COMPLETE
1. The Idea is 'Alone Time'

SLAP!  
  
"Bouzu . . ." Sango muttered under her breath. Always grabbing her butt. If he wasn't such a letch, he would be almost likeable. Almost. Why was he constantly groping her anyway? It was a common source of thought for her. He would say something or do something totally out of character for him, like be kind or thoughtful, and make her wonder about her opinion of him. Then he'd reach behind her to give her butt the apparently perfunctory squeeze - he never went a day without doing it - and they'd begin their usual routine.  
  
"Hentai!"  
  
SLAP!  
  
THUD!  
  
And Miroku would suddenly find himself lying on the ground twitching. Sango sighed. She wished he wasn't such a pervert. She walked over to sit next to Kagome, sending annoyed looks at the Houshi from time to time. Kagome couldn't help but notice and she stood up, a plan forming in her mind. She had gotten good at this strategy thing recently.  
  
"I'm going to the hot springs for a bath. Sango, are you going to come?"  
  
"Sure," the older girl said. The two of them gathered their things, and walked off. Moments later, a certain monk disappeared from view.  
  
The girls sat, relaxing in the tub, talking about anything that came up. Of course, one of the topics of choice was Miroku.  
  
"I can't believe him! He's such a . . . a . . . letch!"  
  
"You hadn't noticed?" Kagome said dryly. Sango sighed.  
  
"Well, you'd think because he's a man of Buddha, that he'd be a little more virtuous."  
  
Kagome nodded absently. Getting up, she wrapped herself in a towel, and nodded at Sango.  
  
"I'll be back," she said. Sango nodded, and reached for the bottle of shampoo - whatever it was, it was great for her hair. Kagome slipped around a patch of bushes, and sighed. Miroku was crouched behind a rock, watching Sango.  
  
"She's gonna catch you, and you're gonna get hurt," she said in a low voice, so as not to attract the taiji-ya's attention. Miroku turned, and nearly fell over.  
  
"Kagome! I was merely making sure you two were okay," he said, smiling. Kagome knelt down.  
  
"I have my arrows and Sango can hold her own, you know that," she scolded, "So please don't insult me by lying, houshi-sama."  
  
Miroku nodded, and braced himself for a blow to the head. It never came. Kagome was looking at him thoughtfully.  
  
"I'll make you a deal, Miroku. You tell me why you haven't yet asked Sango to bear your child, and I'll let you leave, all body parts intact."  
  
Miroku stared at her. "N-nani?"  
  
"Why haven't you asked Sango to bear your child?"  
  
"I prefer not to ask questions I don't want to know the answer to," he muttered. Kagome scowled.  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked.  
  
"I don't ask, because I fear her answer."  
  
"Why? You know she's going to say n - oh," Kagome finished quietly. Miroku gave her a sad smile.  
  
"No matter what you think of me, know that I truly care for her, Kagome- sama," he said. She nodded. Miroku actually loved her? Something in Kagome's mind snapped. Gropes had become minimal, and kept strictly to Sango. Miroku spent much of his time staring at her, and hadn't asked anyone to bear his child recently. Kirara, always wary of those who would harm her master, had warmed up to him. Little things easily missed, but obvious when you thought about it.  
  
Miroku shuffled off towards the camp.  
  
"Our deal is complete, Kagome. But please, do not tell Sango you spoke with me, or tell her that I love her. That is something I wish to prove to her myself," he said. Kagome nodded, and walked back to the hot springs. When Sango asked her where she had been, she shook her head.  
  
"I thought I heard someone, but I was mistaken."  
  
The two of them finished their bath in silence, and Kagome didn't look at Miroku when she returned. She had much to think on.  
  
---  
  
Kagome crept over to where Miroku was sleeping and tapped him on the shoulder. Always a light sleeper, the houshi sat up sharply, hand moving to his Shakujo. Kagome sighed.  
  
"Relax, Miroku, it's just me."  
  
"Ah, Kagome. What would you like, at this hour?" he asked, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.  
  
"I suspect, if you plan to win Sango over, that you might want to stop that," she said, and he sobered. Kagome beckoned for him to follow her, they were heading towards a river in the woods. Once there, Kagome sat down on a rock.  
  
"I have a proposition for you," she said. Miroku nodded, and she continued.  
  
"You really love Sango, don't you?"  
  
"Hai, she is truly the most beautiful -"  
  
"Got it, got it," Kagome said hastily, "No speeches, please. I want to help you."  
  
She had been watching the houshi and taiji-ya for the past few days, since Miroku had told her he was in love with Sango. She had come to believe that her friend may also hold feelings for the monk. Small clues she had missed before caught her eye, like the hurt look on Sango's face when Miroku groped her.  
  
"Really?" Miroku asked. Kagome nodded. "Arigato, Kagome-chan!"  
  
She nodded, and opened the backpack she had brought with her. Miroku hadn't noticed it before. She pulled out a checkered board and a box.  
  
"What's that for?" Miroku asked. Kagome grinned.  
  
"I'm helping you, aren't I? Well, I'm going to teach you chess."  
  
'Chess," he said disbelievingly. She nodded.  
  
"Hai. Now here's what we're going to do . . ."  
  
The sun was almost up when they climbed back onto their sleeping mats. Miroku hoped this plan would work. He glanced over at the still-sleeping girl, and smiled. Sango looked so peaceful when she was asleep. When she was awake, there was a permanent look of stoicism etched on her face, to cover up her worry, her fear, her pain. He wanted to embrace her, to give her love enough to stop grieving, or at least to help her with the burden. This plan of Kagome's had to work, because he knew no other way.  
  
Kagome wriggled back into Inuyasha's arms, where she had been earlier. She wondered if the hanyou noticed her absence. They had been sharing a mat since their relationship bloomed a short while ago. Shippo was near them, on his own little mat that was pushed up against theirs. They made a perfect little family of three. Hanyou, human, and kitsune pup. She could only hope the same happiness on her friends.  
  
---  
  
"We're what?" Inuyasha growled.  
  
"Going to my era for a little while. Only a week, just because grandpa and mom are going to be away," Kagome explained again. While it was true that her little brother would be home alone, he was old enough to take care of himself now. It just happened to make a good excuse to leave Sango and Miroku here alone.  
  
"Sango and Miroku will keep an ear out for jewel shard rumors," she consoled. Inuyasha cocked his head at her.  
  
"What the hell did you just say?"  
  
Kagome sweatdropped. She forgot that he wouldn't know what that meant. She sighed.  
  
"They'll stay here and if they hear anything, they'll let us know, okay?" she explained. Wrapping her arms around her mate-to-be, she whispered in a fuzzy ear.  
  
"Maybe we'll send Souta and Shippo to bed early one night." Her voice was near to a purr. Inuyasha went red, and kissed her soundly. When they pulled back, he said:  
  
"Feh, we'll go. But only because I don't think that kid'll be safe on his own."  
  
Kagome smiled, and they went to tell the others.  
  
Shippo jumped up happily, overjoyed at the idea of having someone his age to play with. Or at least, his age in maturity. Sango, on the other hand, was a little less open to the idea.  
  
"Kagome! Onegai," she cried, "you can't leave me here with this lecher!"  
  
The young girl sighed. "I'll make Miroku promise to be good. If he isn't, I'll make that curse of Naraku's seem like a tickle."  
  
Miroku gulped.  
  
"Anyway," Kagome continued, "If I leave Inuyasha here, and only take Shippo with me, Miroku will be dead by the end of the first day, and we need him."  
  
"Domo arigato, Kagome-chan," Miroku said. Sango nodded grudgingly. Kagome smiled.  
  
"Great! Let's get packing!"  
  
---  
  
Kagome stood by Inuyasha, his arm around her waist. Shippo was sitting on her shoulder as they said goodbye.  
  
Sango hugged her friends warmly.  
  
"We'll see you in a week!" she said. Kagome nodded.  
  
"Hai, be good you two," she said, giving Miroku a meaningful look. Inuyasha gave a 'feh'.  
  
"Can we go? You said there was ramen at your house."  
  
She kissed the hanyou on the cheek. "You have a one-track mind, koi," she said. They waved goodbye one last time, and jumped into the well.  
  
'The board is set,' thought Kagome.  
  
---  
  
Aha! I strike again! More fanfiction, fluff, and overdramatic fun! My school is closed today, so I can get LOTS of work done! *Bounces around, tossing paper snowflakes* Okay, down to business. I make an assumption here, and that's that chess is played western style, because I know no other way, gomen! And for those of you who don't know fanfiction-level Japanese, there's a nice little vocab list below, that I'll include with every chapter. Okay? Okay. Now, my odd little Muppets, REVIEW!  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own, Inuyasha, but neither do you, so HAH!  
  
This chapter is dedicated to Silver Flame of the Phoenix (SFotP) and Shui- sama, because they love my fluff.  
  
Vocab:  
  
Hai: Yes  
  
Nani: What  
  
Gomen (nasai): Sorry  
  
(Domo) Arigato: Thanks/Thank you  
  
Onegai: Please  
  
Hentai: Pervert  
  
Houshi: Low-level monk  
  
Bouzu: Disrespectful term for low-level monk  
  
Taiji-ya: (Demon) Exterminator  
  
Hiraikotsu: Flying bone (Sango's boomerang)  
  
Hanyou: Half-demon  
  
Youkai: Demon  
  
Miko: Priestess  
  
Ramen: Instant noodles  
  
Kitsune: Fox  
  
Neko: Cat-Demon  
  
Kazaana: Air Void (Miroku's Wind Tunnel)  
  
Shakujo: Miroku's staff with the rings (it has little blades on it, I'm serious  
  
Koi: Love/Lover  
  
--- 


	2. Day One, What's Hentai?

::Day One Alone::

"Houshi . . ." Sango said. Miroku looked up, and gulped.

"I take it you're not happy, Lady Sango?" he said. She glared.

"No, houshi-sama, I'm overjoyed at the prospect of spending a week alone with you and those hands of yours!"

Miroku gave her a hurt look. "Why? Kagome –"

"– forgot to make you promise!"

"What if I promised to keep my hands to myself?"

"Nani?"

--FLASHBACK--

"What's this?"

"It's a chess board. The kings," Kagome held up the small white and black pieces, "will represent your hearts." She tossed the black king into the box. Miroku blinked.

"Aren't _I_ black?" he asked. Kagome nodded.

"Then why don't I have a heart?"

The younger girl sighed. "You don't get a heart, Miroku-domo, because I would not be sitting out here at _midnight teaching you _chess_ when I could be at _home_ cuddling __Inuyasha if Sango didn't already have yours."_

The monk blinked. Kagome moved on.

"The queens," she held up the pieces, "represent honesty, because they are the most powerful pieces, and that is the most powerful thing. It can move any direction, any amount of spaces."

She continued holding out pieces, telling him what they were, and their powers.

"So . . . what do they represent?"

"Well, Sango's represent her defenses against you, and yours are the ones you hold against her."

"But I don't defend myself from her! Except if she's trying to hit me," he amended.

Kagome grinned. "Then why haven't you told her how you feel?"

"I . . . hn," Miroku said, getting the point. Kagome giggled, and pushed pieces around the board.

"See these pawns?" she asked, pointing to the two little pieces in the middle of the board. He nodded.

"That's your lechery. It's her first defence against loving you, that you're a womanizing creep who'll bed her and leave her."

Miroku ducked his head. "Not her, not ever," he muttered. Kagome patted his shoulder.

"I know that, but you have to prove it. Promise her that you'll keep all unwanted looks and touches to yourself."

Miroku smiled. "I can do that."

--END FLASHBACK--

Miroku nodded. "I promise to keep all unwanted looks and touches to myself," he said, putting his hand over his heart. 

_Unwanted_ . . . that was the key. By the end of the week, his advances would no longer be 'unwanted'.

Sango looked at him warily, but agreed.

"Hai, houshi. I'll take your offer. But be warned, if you do try anything, I'll stuff you into that hole in your hand!"

Miroku gulped.

Sango sat down and began to make a fire; there wasn't really anything to do until they heard a rumor. Miroku sat next to her, a little closer than normal -- within groping distance. She shot him a look, and he smiled sweetly at her.

_'Damn,' _she thought, _'it's hard to be cross with him when he looks at me like that. It's hard to be mad at him period if he's not being a lecher. Why did he promise that? What's he up to?'_

"Sango?"

She looked up, thoughts disturbed. Kirara was sitting complacently on Miroku's lap, purring. He looked at the neko's owner, confused.

"What's she doing?"

Sango looked closely at the small demon. "Sleeping," she said, equally puzzled. Kirara usually ostracized the monk, sensing her master's feelings towards him. This day was getting to weird for her. _Much too weird._

Lunch was ready in a few minutes, and Miroku chewed thoughtfully on his fish. He may have promised to keep his hands to himself, but he had nothing to make Sango certain of his change of heart. Except to put himself in situations where he could have touched her, but didn't. As he finished his food, he touched her arm gently. She flinched at his touch, and he cringed inwardly, pulling his hand away.

"Gomen," he muttered. Louder, he asked:

"Do you want me to clean up?"

Sango shook her head. "I'm okay," she said, but Miroku grabbed the bucket to put out the fire before she did.

"I insist," he said, "you made lunch, let me clean up."

His companion sighed, and rolled her eyes. Kirara hopped off his lap, and allowed him to get up. He walked towards the river. Now, his move was over. He had to wait.

Sango sat by the fire, waiting for Miroku to return with the water. Minutes passed. He didn't return. She didn't worry about it until Kirara began mewing and edging towards the forest. It was at that point that she got up and went to find the errant monk.

Miroku sat by the river, dangling his feet, He had jumped in and gotten out again, all being part of his 'clever' plan. When he heard Sango come through the brush, he scooped up the bucket, and began walking toward where he suspected she would be coming.

Sango moved through the forest quickly, not worrying about noise. If that monk was in trouble, her noise level wouldn't be an issue. Saving him would be. Suddenly, she ran into something hard and wet. She topped over backwards, and the thing came down on top of her. When she gathered her thoughts, the thing had already gotten up, and was holding a hand out to her. That 'thing' happened to be the houshi she was looking for.

She felt herself flush. She hadn't known before her brief physical contact that he was so . . . solid. The loose robes he wore apparently belied his physical form beneath them.

Still shocked and red, she took his hand cautiously, wary of any moves from his happy hand. He released her as she stood, and smiled.

"Arigato," she whispered.

"Why are you out here?" he asked. The taiji-ya blinked, and told him of her search. He looked down, seemingly embarrassed.

"I sort of, rather, fell in," he said. Sango smothered a giggle.

"Oh," she whispered in a choked voice. "Well then, bouzu, let's refill that bucket there and get back."

He handed her he bucket, and she kept a wary eye on him as she bent to get the water. Neither his eyes nor his hands wandered to her bottom, which was well within his reach. She wasn't sure what was going on. Was he truly going to keep to his promise? He had never really kept to the vows of monk-hood, and she wouldn't have been surprised if he hadn't kept to this promise. She even hesitated a moment before straightening. Still no move.

She stood up, and began to walk back to camp. He fell into step with her. As they returned to camp, Kirara jumped up onto the monk's shoulder. He smiled, and pat her back.

"Hello, Kirara. Were you worried too?"

Sango gave a bare gasp. "I wasn't worried," she scoffed, tossing the water onto the fire, "I wanted to put the fire out, and you were taking your sweet time."

She didn't believe herself. Miroku didn't either.

That night, she opened her mat a little closer to Miroku's than usual.

"It's cold," she explained, not meeting his eyes, "we should preserve body heat."

He nodded, and unrolled his own mat. When he was certain she was sleeping, he left to the bone-eater's well. Kagome was waiting for him.

"So?" she asked impatiently, tapping her foot. In response, Miroku leaned down to the chess board that was already set up, and knocked out two pawns.

"Hentai? What do you mean, Hentai?" he said wickedly, and Kagome smiled.

"Good. Now come on, I'll explain the next part."

Miroku sat down, as did Kagome. She pointed to the two knights that were set up right behind where the pawns had been and Miroku's knights now sat.

"Those knights represent her past . . ."

--- 

Wow . . . another chapter done. I can't believe the response I got! Thank you all! For every 10 reviews I get for this, I'll write a little individual thank-you section at the end of the chapter for those ten. Now please not, we don't exactly follow the 'move to a move' philosophy in regular games here. The chess Kagome and Miroku are playing . . . only black moves. It's just Miroku trying to get under Sango's defenses, so White doesn't really move much. Unless Miroku screws up. But that's another author's note entirely ^^ Now, VOCAB! Note: I may not use all words in all chapters; this is just a generalized list.

Vocab:

Hai: Yes

Nani: What

Gomen (nasai): Sorry

Arigato: Thanks/Thank you

Onegai: Please

Hentai: Pervert

Houshi: Low-level monk

Bouzu: Disrespectful term for low-level monk

Taiji-ya: (Demon) Exterminator

Hiraikotsu: Flying bone (Sango's boomerang)

Hanyou: Half-demon

Youkai: Demon

Miko: Priestess

Ramen: Instant noodles

Kitsune: Fox

Neko: Cat-Demon

Kazaana: Air Void (Miroku's Wind Tunnel)

Shakujo: Miroku's staff with the rings (it has little blades on it, I'm serious)


	3. Day Two, Past Becomes Present

Okay, I keep forgetting these things, so here we go.  
  
Disclaimer For All Chapters, Former and Future: I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA!  
  
::Day Two Alone::  
  
Sango woke up to the smell of breakfast. Miroku was already up, his shakujo lying next to him on the ground.  
  
"Good morning, Lady Sango," he said cheerily. She grunted, and pulled herself into an upright position. Kirara nudged a bit of food on a leaf to her. Sango smiled softly and picked it up.  
  
"Did you sleep well?" Miroku asked. Sango looked down at her food, avoiding the question. She had dreamed of her family last night. Except it hadn't been Kohaku killing them, it had been her. Miroku sighed.  
  
"Neither did I," he said. This was true. After he and Kagome had parted ways, he had lain awake until the sun was rising; thinking about what he was going to do. This would be a hard topic for Sango to discuss, and with him, no less. Kagome had told him not to move forward if he didn't feel the timing was right. He didn't. So they moved through their day, not really saying anything. Well, that wasn't true. As they helped Kaede clean up, they chatted awkwardly. It was then that they both realized how little they knew about each other. But as the day progressed, the talk flowed a little easier. Miroku still knew very little about what happened before she met Inuyasha, but over dinner, he struck gold.  
  
"You didn't!" Sango gave a squawk of laughter as Miroku nodded. He had discovered that the amusing stories from his childhood - up until his father died - amused her, and that she was more willing to talk after hearing a few. For a moment, as she laughed, he thought he saw the girl she could have been. The pretty young taiji-ya who could have been, if not for Naraku. He was pleased, knowing it was he who had brought her out, and continued his story.  
  
"Yup, all the way to the top of the hut. It was hard! I couldn't have been older than maybe 6, and those obis are surprisingly heavy."  
  
Sango shook her head. "You are truly one of a kind, houshi-sama. Only you would use a geisha's obi as a welcome home banner."  
  
Miroku grinned. "You never did anything ridiculous as a child?"  
  
"I was six when I started training. There was no time for amusement. Unless . . ."  
  
"Nani?" Miroku blinked. Sango blushed and looked down, mumbling something. He sighed.  
  
"I'm not Inuyasha, I can't hear that well."  
  
"I said: Unless you count training as a geisha." Her face was bright red. Miroku spluttered. Sango -- his strong, stubborn taiji-ya -- trained as a geisha? She shook her head.  
  
"It was my great-aunt's idea. She was my mother's aunt, and didn't think women belonged in a village learning to fight with a bunch of men. So she twisted my father's arm until he let me go."  
  
Miroku patted Kirara absently. "Well, you're still a taiji-ya, so what happened?"  
  
"Well, I spilt the tea consistently, I kept snapping the strings of my instrument, and my kimono was in a constant state of distress, to sum it up. I think my great-aunt could have lived with that. But she couldn't stand the fights."  
  
The monk choked on a piece of fish. "Fights?"  
  
Sango nodded sadly, still looking down. "Near to daily fights with other girls who insulted my family."  
  
That was it. Miroku spit the offending piece of fish into a leaf and laughed. Sango smacked him in the arm, to no avail.  
  
"It's not funny, you know!"  
  
He shook his head. "Oh, Sango. I can see why you wouldn't have made a good geisha."  
  
She glared. "And why is that, houshi-sama?"  
  
"You have too much spirit. A geisha is expected to be gentle, graceful, and agreeable. You would fight the men about political views."  
  
The girl looked down. Miroku mentally slapped himself. One step forward, two steps back. Of course she knows she's not like other women, it's probably a source of embarrassment. He brought out a sincere smile, and put a hand on her shoulder.  
  
"I never said too much spirit was a bad thing. I like your spirit," he said. It probably didn't mean much to her, coming from a hentai like himself, but he noted that she looked up. But she didn't look at him.  
  
"Sango?" Miroku whispered. She was staring past him, shocked. Miroku turned to look.  
  
A young man stood at the edge of their camp, his black hair cropped short. He wore the garb of . . . a demon exterminator? His sash was a brilliant yellow, his armor a lighter shade of the same. Brown eyes met Sango's and Miroku felt a stirring of annoyance. What was going on? Sango whispered something, and while Miroku wasn't entirely sure what she had said, he was certain that word was a name. The young man moved towards them, and Sango snapped out of her shock.  
  
"What are you doing here?" she hissed, standing. Miroku stood as well, grabbing his shakujo. She wasn't happy to see this man, whoever he was.  
  
"Now, now, Sango. Is that any way to greet your fiancée?"  
  
::Do you know how tempted I am to cut it off here? But no, Kat will kill me if I do::  
  
Shock. All that Miroku would ever remember of that moment was shock. Fiancée? What was this man talking about? Sango's entire village had been annihilated, leaving her the only survivor - save for the puppet Kohaku.  
  
"Houshi-sama," she whispered. "I think it's time we slept." With that, she turned around and lay out her sleeping mat. She looked up at him.  
  
"Can you douse the fire?"  
  
What was going on? Here was this man, claiming to be her fiancée, and she was acting like he wasn't here? The young man seemed to be thinking along the same lines, for he strode forward and knelt next to Sango.  
  
"Same as always, aren't you. Still stubborn, and still beautiful," he said, almost to himself, as he looked at her. Sango still did nothing.  
  
"Houshi-sama, have I hit you so many times that you've finally gone deaf? The fire, please."  
  
Miroku moved to do as she asked. The young man's head snapped up to look at him.  
  
"Who's this? A houshi? Well, it's the only male companion I would ever allow my fiancée to have."  
  
Sango stood up, fists balled at her sides, shaking visibly. Miroku stepped forward in the twighlight.  
  
"Sir, I cannot allow you to stay here when you upset Lady Sango so much. Either explain yourself or leave."  
  
The man laughed. "She didn't tell you? Bad Sango," he purred, and stood up. His eyes followed the length of her body all the way up to the hair he reached out to touch. She jerked away. "Didn't you miss me?"  
  
Miroku wondered idly if he should be the one to gut and kill this man, or if Sango would like to do it. Either way, he would die. He shifted his grip on his shakujo.  
  
"No," Sango said. "Don't harm him. He speaks the truth."  
  
Miroku stepped back. "Nani?"  
  
"I'm tired," she said, laying down with her back facing them. "I'll explain in the morning. Raidon, leave. I'm going to deal with you later."  
  
Miroku settled himself by a tree to meditate until he was to leave and meet Kagome. His skull was cluttered, and needed clearing out. He heard the man's footsteps fade away, and as he left, the man muttered.  
  
"I'll see you tomorrow evening, Sango."  
  
---  
  
Kagome nodded as Miroku tried to explain what little he knew of the situation. She dug into her bag, and pulled out a ring. She put it on the top of Sango's Queen, and moved the Queen to the side.  
  
"That'll be Raidon - whoever that is. Go get some sleep, Miroku, "she commanded. "We can't do anything until we know who he is."  
  
---  
  
Breakfast was silent, until Sango touched Miroku's arm. He looked up at her.  
  
"Before . . . before Raidon gets here," she said, and he nodded. From underneath her Yukata she brought out a small ring on a chain. It hung around her neck, and she sat to let him see it better.  
  
"He's from another village, they were our biggest rivals. It was a good merger, Father said," she explained. Miroku sighed.  
  
"I think . . . you need to explain a little more fully."  
  
Hesitating only for a moment, she told him. She told him about her mother, who died giving birth to Kohaku, who her friends and enemies had been, the day she started training as a taiji-ya. She talked about the day she killed her first demon, and how sick she had been after. Every little thing about her past came spilling out. He didn't stop her when she got off track, and he waited patiently as she cried, often letting her lean on him. Then she came to the day she had met Raidon. She sighed.  
  
"We were fighting a boar demon," she started, "When out of the blue, two arrows appear in its throat. I caught Hiraikotsu on a rebound, and turned. Raidon was standing there. He fed me a line worthy of you, and I slapped him."  
  
Miroku smiled. "So I am not the only man drawn to your beauty," he mused. Sango glared, and continued.  
  
"We ran into him several times, and every time he took our kill. My father soon learned there was another village of demon hunters, who also performed duties for local villages. They were incredibly strong. I visited their village once or twice. Raidon is a lot like you, houshi-sama," she told him, and Miroku blinked. She sighed.  
  
"He's a womanizer. Unlike you, though, he treats the women with no respect. He sees them only as warm bodies, and he caught the eye of many of the huntress' of his village and ours."  
  
Her companion blinked, and began piecing things together. "But not yours, I take it."  
  
She shook her head. "Iie. I despise him, and I told him so any time he tried to catch my eye."  
  
Miroku's heart soared. She looked at him and continued.  
  
"Then my father asked me to come to the kitchen one morning. Raidon was there. The other village wanted a merger, the daughter and son of the headmen. Raidon and I," she hissed bitterly, looking down.  
  
"Why did you say yes, if you hate him so?"  
  
"My father asked me to. It was a good merge, we would be stronger together. Kohaku . . . Kohaku seemed to think he was an okay guy, so I agreed."  
  
Miroku nodded, standing to make lunch. They had talked well past midday, and he was hungry. Before he moved though, he looked down at Sango.  
  
"There is no reason for you to marry Raidon."  
  
Sango sighed and stood, with her back to him. "There is."  
  
Miroku walked to her, and looked her in the eye. "Why?"  
  
"I went last night, and I . . . I met with him. He is the new village headman, and has no wife of yet. He was waiting for me."  
  
Miroku said nothing for a moment, shocked at her deception. Sango had always been forthright about things. Then he shook his head.  
  
"Sango, I know his kind - I am his kind. He waits for you because you are the proverbial 'one that got away'. You -" he stopped. He had almost said 'you deserve better than that'. He suspected this to be moving too far, too fast.  
  
"You what?" she asked.  
  
"Nothing," he sighed, and went to make lunch.  
  
---  
  
Whew! This update only took forever! And I've decided to hold off review thanks until the end of the story, it's just a little easier for me *blushes*. What?! School is hard. So enjoy this little update, and huge thanks to onee-sama for her help with the awkwardness of talking to a stoic!  
  
Vocab:  
  
Hai: Yes  
  
Nani: What  
  
Gomen (nasai): Sorry  
  
Arigato: Thanks/Thank you  
  
Onegai: Please  
  
Hentai: Pervert  
  
Houshi: Low-level monk  
  
Bouzu: Disrespectful term for low-level monk  
  
Taiji-ya: (Demon) Exterminator  
  
Hiraikotsu: Flying bone (Sango's boomerang)  
  
Hanyou: Half-demon  
  
Youkai: Demon  
  
Miko: Priestess  
  
Ramen: Instant noodles  
  
Kitsune: Fox  
  
Neko: Cat-Demon  
  
Kazaana: Air Void (Miroku's Wind Tunnel)  
  
Shakujo: Miroku's staff with the rings (it has little blades on it, I'm serious) 


	4. Day Three, Meditation and a Move Forewar...

*Is very sore from handball* There is NO getting on my case about updating, I play a sport now. It takes up lots of time when your season is only a month and a half. So here we go... Lyrics are to White Flame, by Wieß (the song is from Wieß Kruz) Also, I use a word only once here, so the translation won't be at the bottom. The word is 'otto', and it means husband, in the context of 'my husband'. As well, I use 'iinazuke', which means fiancé/fiancée. That's all!  
  
---  
  
Day Three, Meditation and a Move Forward  
  
Lunch was a nearly silent affair, and Miroku didn't enjoy his thoughts. Sango, married? To a man that she disliked, no less? He couldn't imagine it. Being of a similar type to this Raidon fellow, he couldn't help thinking that Sango would hate every minute of that life. It would be one of dishonor, with her husband taking any woman to his bed that he chose.  
  
'It is not a question of whether he would, though,' he sighed to himself, 'it's a question of whether I would do the same.'  
  
This thought weighed heavily on his mind. Certainly, he had flirted with a great many women, but to actually make love to one was impossible. For one, no woman would bear the child of a monk. They would see it as blasphemy. But to take a wife, and keep her, was no trouble.  
  
Following his beliefs, Miroku would keep his powers and his wife, as well as be able to sire as many children as he liked. Once wed, he would be able to bed any woman who would do such a thing, and there were many. The thought of caring for anyone but Sango had not crossed his mind until now, when she was at stake.  
  
He stood.  
  
"Sango, please excuse me for leaving before we have completed lunch. I have need of meditation, and will be back before nightfall," he said, and bowing, started off in the direction of the nearest waterfall. Upon arriving, he stripped down to his leggings and sat down beneath the pounding water, his shakujo nearby. The incessant beating of the water deafened him to the rest of the world, and the weight, while heavy, was comforting. He began to count his breathing.  
  
'In . . . two . . . three . . . four . . . five . . . six . . . seven . . . eight . . . out . . . two . . . three . . . four . . . five . . . six . . . seven . . . eight . . . in . . . two . . .'  
  
As soon as the pattern became second nature, which didn't take long, he allowed his mind to wander, keeping part of him focused on his breath. His thoughts began to come to the surface, and he allowed himself to organize them slowly, bit by bit.  
  
First, there were his feelings towards Raidon -- annoyance, for what he did/was doing to Sango. Acceptable, understandable, and well enough as it was, but then there was the nervousness that accompanied the man's presence. Also, this was understandable, because of his connection to Sango.  
  
~As the evening settles, say your prayers, let me kiss you so tenderly  
  
As the moon begins to rise above, I am forced to change drastically...~  
  
Out of the depths of meditation, a memory swam forwards. A tall, slender woman was prominent, her black hair covered by a plain kerchief. A man came up behind her, kneeling to wrap arms around her as she scrubbed the laundry. Both were youthful, and it was obvious that they were lovers, at the very least. But lo, the man was a monk, and from the way he was staring at her she must be his wife. She was quite beautiful, despite the plainness of her clothing, and a smile broke over her face as she turned in his arms to kiss her husband. A small voice piped up.  
  
"Mama?"  
  
The couple broke apart, and looked down at a small child. Indigo eyes stared out from a small face, and his hair was tied in a small ponytail at the base of his neck. He looked at his parents with a curious expression.  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
A laugh rang out from the woman, and her husband ruffled the boy's hair.  
  
"Oh, Miroku . . ." he sighed, and his wife answered the boy's question.  
  
"We were kissing, sweetheart."  
  
Too young to yet be the hentai he would grow into; the young Miroku looked, puzzled, at his mother, asking her what that was.  
  
"Kami," she laughed. "Otto, would you like to answer this question? He's your son."  
  
"As I remember, you helped," the man countered, but turned to his son. How was he to explain this, without earning a smack from Keiko? She wanted her son's mind to stay pure as long as possible. Starting carefully, he said:  
  
"Kissing . . . is something you do with someone you love. Sometimes, when a man and a woman are in love, they want to be near each other so much that their mouths come together, and their souls speak."  
  
There, that was well done.  
  
"Do you love mama, houshi-sama?"  
  
Keiko turned, her dark eyes glinting mischievously.  
  
"Yes, do you love mama, otto?" she asked, a wicked smile on her face. He answered without missing a beat, because it was the truth.  
  
"With all my heart, I do."  
  
Miroku watched in awe-filled curiosity as his mother turned once more to kiss the monk that was his father. Would he ever find someone he would kiss?  
  
Three days later, he and his father would leave for the temple where Mushin lived, and there they would stay until the man who loved Keiko so died.  
  
In the present, a fully grown Miroku suddenly knew the answer to his young self's question. Yes, he had found someone he wanted to kiss.  
  
~Don't forget the person I am in the day, don't forget the good in my life  
  
Don't forget this ache that I feel in my heart, don't forget my pain and my strife~  
  
Sango, his beautiful, brave, loyal, stubborn, impulsive . . . something in him sighed. He had always respected the taiji-ya, and still did. Enough so, that in the beginning, he did not ask her to bear his child. Somewhere along the line, that respect for Sango had twisted and flowered into love.  
  
He didn't let himself think the word love, not quite. Affection, deep care, maybe even infatuation, but he wouldn't allow himself to love her, not yet. He didn't know why. Maybe it was because she was so . . . amazing. Or was it the feeling that was wild?  
  
Whatever it was, it was so strong, as if it could floor even the greatest warrior. And it had, many a time. The force of the emotion, the lack of a definition, of a way of explaining why, was terrifying and thrilling all at once.  
  
Emotion was one of the things he had been taught to control, but he definitely wasn't in control right now. The capability to keep calm and poised was one he had prided himself on, it was so important. If he lost it now, he'd be hopeless. So there would be control, no matter what.  
  
The idea of Raidon getting to Sango floated across his mind, and he grimaced. The idea of that . . . man having anything to do with her was horrifying. He had known many men like himself over the years that he traveled -- most of them were after woman as possessions instead of people. He, thankfully, had never gotten to that point.  
  
But the aura Raidon seemed to emanate said quite the opposite. Sango would be a trophy wife, and then he would take any number of women to his bed behind her back.  
  
It was a struggle to keep his mind clear, it was so infuriating. Caring for Sango, even as a friend, he could not allow it. Counting his breathing backwards, he slowly rose and dried off, planning to head to camp. It was almost dusk; he had been there a long while.  
  
~Go to sleep and dream of happiness, I will keep you safe in the night  
  
Surrounded by flames of endless white, sinners chased away by the light . . .~  
  
Sango sighed; she had little to do while she waited for Miroku to return. Finally, she settled down to polish her hiraikotsu. She frowned a little as she ran her fingers over an old split. Totosai had fixed it for her, and done a fine job of it. Unfortunately, there would always be a small scar. But it flew better now than ever, she had to admit, even though it had been a long, long time.  
  
There was a noise behind her, and she stood, gripping the weapon in such a way that she could attack if necessary.  
  
"Still the best, I see," a voice drawled. She didn't relax, but put down hiraikotsu. Raidon walked out.  
  
"Hello, Sango. Where is your houshi?" he said, smiling pleasantly. The smile didn't reach his eyes, though. She balked slightly at his use of the phrase 'your houshi'.  
  
"Houshi-sama has gone to meditate," she told him truthfully, "He said he would be back before nightfall."  
  
The man nodded, obviously thinking to himself. He sat down, and motioned for Sango to join him.  
  
"To tell you the truth, I am glad the monk is gone. I don't like the looks of him. Also, I wanted to speak to you."  
  
Still standing, the taiji-ya nodded.  
  
"Speak," she sighed.  
  
"You've grown up, Sango. You're not the same girl who fought at the village. When I heard your entire clan had been annihilated, I began a search for you. The graves certainly seemed to say someone had been there. I followed rumors of a demon-huntress that carried a flying bone, and traveled with strange company. It seemed to be you, but I had to know for certain. And now, here you are, my soon-to-be wife, alive and well."  
  
Sango winced. Would she still marry Raidon? His charm and story were lost on her, she didn't care. To become part of a village again . . . to live as a taiji-ya, could she do that? Could she leave Miroku, Kagome, Inuyasha, and Shippo to marry this man she hated? Her father and Kohaku had wanted her to.  
  
This stopped her. Her family . . . friends . . . everyone. They had all been happy to see her married – at least, those that weren't female. They had wanted this match for her. To do this would be to fulfill her father's wishes. It was what he had wanted . . .  
  
Raidon stood, and moved toward her.  
  
"Look at you," he said, his eyes discomforting. "You've grown so beautiful. Certainly by now you've been claimed, what am I talking about?"  
  
She shook her head.  
  
"No, I'm not . . . claimed," she whispered. For a moment, Miroku's face flickered in her mind. What would he say, to see this conversation. For some reason, she felt guilty. The hunter before her smirked.  
  
"Really? That's . . . surprising," he said, moving closer. He was less than a few inches away now, his eyes hovering over her face. "I would have thought I was too late. Even that monk of yours would have noticed you."  
  
Miroku? Yea, as a warm body, maybe. Raidon's closeness was awkward, and she backed up a little. He moved forward again, and she frowned.  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
He ignored her question, moving closer still, until Sango was up against a tree. She braced her hands against his shoulders and pushed, but he set himself in an old position she recognized, turning one foot out and grounding himself. There would be no moving him, and she sighed.  
  
"I advise you to back off, Raidon."  
  
"Don't fuss, Sango," he smiled. "I just want a taste . . ."  
  
Her face drained to a wan color, she bragged his hip and shoulder and pushed, to no effect. She tried to strike at him, and he grabbed her wrists, pinning her to the tree. Sango bit her lip. She had never been put in this sort of . . . situation before. She was, for the first time in a long time, helpless. Still struggling, she tried hard to escape his grip, and he shook his head.  
  
"Calm down, iinazuke, this won't hurt. You might even . . . enjoy it."  
  
He twisted his grip on the still-fighting Sango to hold her wrists in one hand, grabbed her chin, and pressed his lips to hers with bruising force. His tongue slipped between her lips and she bit it. He pulled away.  
  
"Dammit!" he swore, checking for blood. Sango picked up hiraikotsu and braced to attack.  
  
"I told you to back off. Leave now," she said coldly. He glared.  
  
"You're as stubborn as ever, Sango. I will break you. You are my fiancée, and you will be coming with me before I leave."  
  
"I believe she told you to leave, sir."  
  
~See the soulless eyes of the target tonight, see the shadow's fate hovering  
  
See the angel's sword lifted over his head, justice in the night, sparkling~  
  
Raidon whirled to see the cold indigo eyes of Miroku. He stood there, peacefully, simply stating a fact. The other man glared.  
  
"Shut up, bouzu, this doesn't concern you."  
  
Miroku stepped forward, unthreatening.  
  
"You are wrong, sir. I am unaware of what has passed between Sango-sama and yourself, but she obviously wants you gone. Please leave us at once."  
  
The man shook his head, and sent a look back at Sango. It was clear; the meaning in the way his eyes dragged over her.  
  
"I will see you tomorrow, iinazuke," he growled around his swelling tongue, and left. Sango collapsed against the tree, and tossed hiraikotsu to the side. Miroku ran to her, kneeling next to her.  
  
"Sango! Are you unhurt?" He asked, putting a hand on her shoulder, she flinched away, and he sighed. She still didn't trust him, it seemed.  
  
His observation proved untrue when she leaned against him, clinging to the front of his robes.  
  
"I feel sick . . ." she muttered into him, and he wrapped his arms around her.  
  
"Oh Sango . . . may I ask what happened?"  
  
She shrank into him, shuddering, and shook her head. She didn't want to think about it. Certainly, she had been kissed before, by other men in her village, but never had any of them forced themselves on her like that. She felt dirty, violated. She should have been able to stop him.  
  
Still unsure of what was bothering her, but not wishing to press the matter, Miroku shifted them and pulled Sango into his lap as he sat against the tree, rocking gently from side to side. He couldn't think of a way to comfort her. So he held her like that, allowing the rhythm of their breathing to calm them both. What had happened between that jerk and her that shook her so badly? It didn't matter, she was all right now. He relished having her so close to him, letting the scent of her, feminine and pure, fill him. Yes, he had found someone he wanted to kiss, he told himself. But not now, he refused to risk ruining this moment that he wanted to hold forever.  
  
Sango breathed in deeply, inhaling Miroku's scent. It tickled a memory at the back of her mind, something sweet and comforting, but she couldn't place it. The feel of his chest rising and falling calmed her, though. She tucked her head under his chin, allowing his warmth and scent to wash through her. This was so nice . . . she almost forgot what had brought her to be so fragile and needing. But she didn't feel as if she had been weak, it was almost as if being so close to Miroku was natural. Having his arms around her, feeling the strength that surrounded her, it was relaxing.  
  
Without knowing it, the two of them reached a pinnacle in their relationship, a place where maybe Sango did trust Miroku a little more than before, and maybe he was just a little less inclined to 'betray' that trust.  
  
As Miroku let himself slip into unconsciousness, he could have sworn he heard Sango mutter, not his title, but his true name. Bu maybe he was already dreaming.  
  
---  
  
Whoa . . . eventful chapter, eh? Yea, Raidon's an ass, but he needs to be that way. It's part of my plot! This update is dedicated to Aamalie, because I said so. And because she likes the fluff I write, the bit at the end is especially for her and nee-chan! Also, we got lucky! I almost lost this entire thing when my dad turned off the circuit breaker JUST before I clicked the save. But we got lucky, and it autosaved right before as well! And credit for the very last line of this goes to Personification of Fluff, who wrote something similar into her story 'Happily Ever After'. So enjoy that little touch of fluff, courtesy of her, and go read it! If you want, read the prequel story "Once Upon a Time'. Wonderful, wonderful Inuyasha/Kagome Sango/Miroku fluff, and then appearances by our beloved Fluffy as well!  
  
Happy Easter all!  
  
Vocab:  
  
Hai: Yes  
  
Nani: What  
  
Gomen (nasai): Sorry  
  
Arigato: Thanks/Thank you  
  
Onegai: Please  
  
Hentai: Pervert  
  
Houshi: Low-level monk  
  
Bouzu: Disrespectful term for low-level monk  
  
Taiji-ya: (Demon) Exterminator  
  
Hiraikotsu: Flying bone (Sango's boomerang)  
  
Hanyou: Half-demon  
  
Youkai: Demon  
  
Miko: Priestess  
  
Ramen: Instant noodles  
  
Kitsune: Fox  
  
Neko: Cat-Demon  
  
Kazaana: Air Void (Miroku's Wind Tunnel)  
  
Shakujo: Miroku's staff with the rings (it has little blades on it, I'm serious) 


	5. Day Four, One Step Foreward

Okay. Here's how it works. I have had this chapter complete for a week now. We just finished moving, and I only just got my internet back. Kudos and Pocky to those wonderful, wonderful people who put up with my ridiculous, inexcusable update schedule. Hopefully, now that things here are speeding up, updates will be more regular.

Also, this is important. In this chapter, Sango is going to seem a little out of character. This is because she was assaulted the night before, and honestly, when that happens, certain facets of the personality do change, mmkay? Good.

---

Day Four: One Step Forward . . .

---

When Sango awoke, she was still in Miroku's arms. Realization flooded her, and she blushed fiercely. She had left herself so _vulnerable_, so helpless! It made her feel foolish, and for a moment, she wondered what would have happened if Miroku hadn't shown up. Would Raidon have . . . No, she told herself, shaking away the terrible thought that threatened to overwhelm her. However, it made her think. Miroku had such control over himself, such patience. He radiated power at times, as he had the day before. Sango shivered, and felt his arms tighten around her.

Was he awake? She froze a moment, and listened carefully. The only sounds were the forest – a blend of animals, harmless youkai, and the river – and his rhythmic breathing. So he was still dead to the world. It must have been an instinctive thing.

This brought her mind to another train of thought. Just what had she been doing, throwing herself at him? She was a strong taiji-ya, not a weak little girl who needed protection. There was no need to cast her burdens on to Miroku. He had his own worries, his own devils to fight. She twisted her upper body just enough to look at his face. Quiet, and happy in sleep, he didn't seem to carry the Kazaana in his sleep, as he did when he woke.

_'What would we have been like_,' she wondered, '_if none of this had happened? If Naraku hadn't cursed his family, hadn't killed mine.'_

She paused in her thoughts, and corrected herself. _'If Naraku hadn't tried to kill my family,'_ she thought stubbornly. _'Kohaku is alive, and we can help him.'_

Even though, in the back of her mind, she knew the time would come for the Shikon shard in Kohaku's back to be removed, she wouldn't let go of the hope that he would be okay. That there was something, someone, who could somehow give her back her little brother. It would hurt all the more when the time came, and nothing happened, but she didn't care. Her juvenile mentality comforted her.

She pushed her mind back to the problem at hand. She was curled, quite comfortably, in Miroku's lap, where she had apparently spent the night. The fire had gone out on its own, they were lucky it hadn't spread. Miroku's arms were wrapped around her waist, not moving anywhere. He sported no middle-of-the-night bruises, so he hadn't tried anything. Good. A yawn cracked Miroku's jaw, as well as her thoughts, and she flushed. He was awake, and they were still tangled up! It was a good thing Kagome-chan and Inuyasha were away.

Miroku blinked down at Sango, whose cheeks were tinged pink, and smiled.

_'She's so cute when she does that,'_ he thought affectionately, rolling his neck around, getting the kinks out of his muscles.

"Ano, Houshi-sama?" she prodded quietly, "Can . . . can you let go now?"

Sango slapped herself mentally. Why was she being so nervous? It wasn't as if she was doing anything wrong, asking him to let go of her. After all, they needed to get up. Kirara lay beside them, still small, still sleeping. Miroku nodded, and removed his arms from around her waist. She stood and stretched, giving a yawn almost as long as Miroku's.

He stood as well, watching her twist and turn to loosen her muscles. She didn't need a protector, he knew that. But she was nervous. Her movements betrayed a worry that her face didn't show. There was something outside her control, something she couldn't take care of on her own. Was it Raidon? Was he somehow the cause of her stress? Of course he was, the jerk. What had happened the night before, to make her so upset?

_'Sango,'_ he sighed to himself,_ 'What happened between you that you won't talk about?'_

Sango sat down to cook a late breakfast, the sun was already risen high. When Miroku walked up behind her, she didn't tense, or pay it any mind, as she would have once. She made note of where he was, and continued preparing for the first meal of the day.

When his hands touched her shoulders, though, she jumped. He stepped back. Raising the offending hands in a gesture of peace.

"Calm yourself, Sango. You're quite tense, I noticed," he said. She nodded warily.

"I thought I might offer to work some of the knots out of your muscles, if you'd like."

Miroku smiled to himself when that pink tint returned to Sango's cheeks, and she nodded. He sat behind her, and laid his hands once more on her shoulders. Leaning forward, he put his mouth next to her ear.

"I made a promise, Sango," he whispered, and she gave a shudder. "Whatever you think of me, know that I always keep my vows."

He began to knead and massage the muscles in her shoulders, and almost instantly a cool glow surrounded her. She couldn't help the little sigh that escaped her, as his hands expertly found and released the tension of her shoulders. She continued to prepare their meal as he kneaded, pressed, and calmed her tense body. He picked her hair up and pulled it over her shoulders, moving to her back.

When he finished, Sango turned, and handed him a small bowl of rice, and a bit of fish. He smiled.

"Have you calmed down at all, Sango?" he asked, nibbling on a bit of the rice.

"Hai," she said, moving to sit next to him. Miroku looked at her. Her face was quiet, unreadable. Would now be the time to ask her what had transpired the night before? He could only try, and hope.

"Sango?"

The taiji-ya in question looked up from her rice, brown eyes, searching Miroku's face.

"Hai, Houshi-sama?"

"Would it be rude . . ." he paused. Sango's happiness was his one goal, and if he didn't watch it, he could be working against himself. Starting again, he sighed.

"May I ask you what transpired last night, between Raidon-san and yourself? I'll take no offence if you don't want to answer."

Sango looked at him, a shocked expression crossing her face. She didn't want to think about it any more. But . . . wasn't that what stopped Kohaku from regaining his memory? He didn't want to remember that night either.

In the end, that was what steeled her answer.

"Hai," she whispered. Never had one syllable held so much worth to her. He put down his meal and turned his full attention to her.

"I was . . . waiting for you to return from meditation," she started, cringing at how silly she sounded. There was no reason to worry, she was a taiji-ya. She was strong. She could talk about a small problem like last night's attack.

If only it didn't feel quite so big.

Miroku put an arm around her shoulders, surprising her. She leaned into him, rather unnerved by the casual, comforting touch, and continued.

"I was sitting here, waxing hiraikotsu to pass the time. What were you thinking about, Houshi-sama? You took a while," she asked suddenly. Miroku blinked. He hadn't been expecting that.

"You," he said, caught off guard and surprised into honesty. Sango went the adorable pink shade he loved so much, and looked down.

"Onegai, Sango, continue," he said, hoping she would ask no more questions. She nodded, and went on.

"Raidon appeared, out of nowhere. He said he just wanted to talk. I was foolish," she admitted, "I let down my guard, and I shouldn't have. He asked if I was 'claimed' by anyone. I . . . said no."

Words are small things, holding meaning only if you give them the power. Silence, however, holds sway over everything, and the pause after three simple words, alone useless, but together potent, was taut. It stretched like wire splitting everything, until it cracked. Miroku nodded, his face schooled blank. It was understandable, of course. He held no claim to her.

_'You want a claim, though, don't you?'_ a wicked voice in the back of his mind sniggered at him. _'You want to be able to sit like this with her when Raidon comes, and tell him that he no longer can have her.'_

He gave a small sigh, pointedly ignoring the voice. After all, you hadn't lost it, they said, until you responded to the voices.

Noticing his silence, and feeling somehow as if she'd done, or said, something wrong, Sango forged ahead in her story.

"He, he mentioned you," she said quietly.

"Did he?" Miroku raised his eyebrows. When had it gotten so quiet? It was sickening, not knowing. He had an inkling of what was going on now, and if he was correct, man of Buddha or no, he would make certain that he ripped off Raidon's fingernails and peeled his skin off with them.

"He said he was surprised. He thought that even you . . . would have noticed me by now. Silly, isn't it? After all, I'm just another girl to you."

She gasped at her own boldness, clapping her hands over her mouth and looking away. Why had she said that? It was as if she was possessed or something . . .

_'Liar,'_ a tiny voice giggled at her. _'You said it because you want to know, don't you? You want to know how he feels.'_

_'Shut up,'_ she growled to the chipper inner voice. After all, you weren't insane until you lost the argument. She didn't meet Miroku's eyes until he cupped her chin and turned her face. His eyes were hurt, though his face was calm.

"Do you really believe that?" he asked. Part of him didn't want to know the answer, and it went against everything in him to ask, but he did.

"I . . ."

"This is looking quite cozy, isn't it?" a voice said, and both of them whirled around, looking guiltily up at the handsome, smirking face of Raidon.

"Ano . . . We were just . . ." Sango looked down at a particularly interesting piece of grass. Kirara growled.

"Sango was just filling me in on last night's events, since I seemed to have missed so much. Perhaps you could finish for her?"

Miroku stood, holding his staff peaceably.

"Lover's quarrel," he spat out, glaring at Sango. She was still fascinated by the particular shade of green the ground was. Miroku couldn't help feeling there was more to it.

"You know sir, I feel inclined to ask why you are here," he said simply, instead of verbally maiming the man who was causing the taiji-ya so much discomfort.

"I'll be staying, bouzu. She is my fiancée after all," he said in a cold voice. Miroku looked at Sango, but there would be no more from her.

The three of them sat in chilled silence for a long while. At one point, Raidon got up to go to the latrine, dug far enough off so that no prying eyes could see. It also meant that the camp was not visible from the latrine.

During this moment, Sango slid over to where Miroku was seated. He looked at her, she was pink again.

_'Is she ill? She's beautiful when she blushes like that, but she's been red so much of the day . . .'_

His train of thought was cut short by a sharp shock.

Sango was kissing him. Her soft, warm lips met his for a brief, sweet moment, and it was over before he could kiss her back.

Not the most dazzling first kiss in history, but a first kiss all the same. He smiled dizzily.

"Arigato, Miroku," she whispered into his ear, before sliding back into her seat by another tree. Raidon came back moments later, and that was the last they spoke that evening.

---

Miroku walked quietly to the well, where he was to meet with Kagome. He was met with a rock to the head. Giving the quietest curse, he hissed:

"Nani? Who's there?"

A glowering Kagome stalked out of the shadows, and Miroku took a step back. She was pissed.

"Where were you, exactly, last night?"

He grinned.  
  
"Ano, well, I can actually explain!"

Explaining to her the events from last evening to that moment, Kagome's glower became a cheery grin.

"I can't believe it! We're making progress! Great job, Miroku-sama!"

She hugged him tightly, and he grinned down at her, giving her a gentle hug back. Their chaste moment of happiness was short and simple, but well deserved. After all, they just took a huge step forward. They both sobered after a minute, and sat down to set up the chess board.

Neither of them noticed the yellow-garbed figure move back toward the camp.

---

Vocab:

Hai: Yes

Nani: What

Gomen (nasai): Sorry

Arigato: Thanks/Thank you

Onegai: Please

Hentai: Pervert

Houshi: Low-level monk

Bouzu: Disrespectful term for low-level monk

Taiji-ya: (Demon) Exterminator

Hiraikotsu: Flying bone (Sango's boomerang)

Hanyou: Half-demon

Youkai: Demon

Miko: Priestess

Ramen: Instant noodles

Kitsune: Fox

Neko: Cat-Demon

Kazaana: Air Void (Miroku's Wind Tunnel)

Shakujo: Miroku's staff with the rings (it has little blades on it, I'm serious)

Ano: Um…


	6. Day Five, Two Steps Back

This chapter is dedicated to Aamalie and my big sister Kat, because, in true Thorne family fashion, it is late. This was supposed to be done Saturday. I'm sorry, but I had a family crisis that delayed any and all action. My sister and I were actually sent away…but here it is!

Lyrics in order are: Forever Gone, Forever You by Evanescence, Broken, by Seether featuring Amy Lee, and Shinjitsu no Uta (Song of Truth) by Do as Infinity.

Day Five: . . . Two Steps Back

---

_There's something very wrong about this  
I think you knew all along somehow  
You'll only take me to change my mind  
Lonely, broken, and defeated  
So far away I see the truth  
I see through you  
Now that I know the way you play  
I don't want to_

Raidon moved back toward the camp as quickly and quietly as he could. That bouzu was up to no good, he had known it the moment he walked into the camp and saw Sango sitting so close to him. He had dismissed it as paranoia. But now . . . Sango was enamored of him, the little fool. This was everything he needed to fix that, and more. All he had to do was plant a little seed of doubt in her mind, and let it grow.

He would fix it so no-one got Sango but him. He deserved her. All the easy charm that he threw around was wasted on her, she didn't care. It drove him mad, trying to figure out why she didn't seem interested – everyone else was.

It had become an obsession, something he needed to understand. He _had_ to have her, there was no-one else that would do. When he heard she had died, he knew it couldn't be true. She was far too strong, too stubborn, to die. So he searched her out.

Now he'd found her, and she was here with that . . . bouzu. There was something off about him, something not quite right. It was in the way he protected Sango, as if she was a special girl or something. He wouldn't allow it. Sango was his to claim, his prize after the hard work.

No bouzu was going to get in his way.

---

_I wanted you to know I love the way you laugh  
I wanna hold you high and steal your pain away  
I keep your photograph; I know it serves me well  
I wanna hold you high and steal your pain_

_'Cause I'm broken when I'm open  
And I don't feel like I am strong enough  
'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome  
And I don't feel light when you're gone away_

Returning from his meeting with Kagome – who had once again reminded him not to tell Sango under any circumstances, he settled down to sleep for the night. Sleep, however, had not settled on him.

_'What would make her happiest?'_ he wondered. _'Being back with her own people, or having her dreams, her life, shattered by Naraku? Maybe I should just . . .'_ he shook his head. No, Sango had made it incredibly clear, that she would stay until Kohaku was avenged.

She stirred beside him, and he smiled. She was so beautiful. So strong, so brave. He didn't deserve her, he sighed. Not him, the lecherous, thieving monk who would die before his child turned ten. And yet . . . she had kissed him. A warm, chaste feeling of happiness and peace fell over him. He may not deserve her, but he could hope, and try.

With that final thought, he slept.

---

_The crimson-stained sun_

_Has illuminated everything; now and the past_

_Is what I have imagined within this twilight_

_More than my own hands can accomplish?_

_Please teach me how to live_

_A little less guarded that I do now_

_Won't you taint me just a little?_

Sango rolled over and yawned as the morning light broke through her sleep. The crackling of a fire caught her attention, and she sat up. There sat Miroku, grinning cheerily as he cooked three fish.

"They should be ready in a moment," he informed her. She nodded, and came over to sit next to him. She no longer worried about his roving hands. He hadn't broken his promise once, and she had no reason to believe him to be so inclined now. A few minutes later, he called over:

"Fish's ready!"

She walked over to get it, and Miroku shook his head.

"You get to work for your breakfast," he said, sending a careful glance to Raidon, who slept on, dead to the world. She gave him a look of shock as he stood, holding the speared fish in a carefully firm grip.

"I bet Kirara would like this," Miroku teased, and Sango, aware of the manipulation, lunged playfully for her food. Miroku jumped out of the way, tapping her on the head with his staff.

"Why Sango, you're getting slow!" he chuckled, and the war began. They jumped, dodged, ducked and swerved around each other, Miroku carefully trying to stay one skip ahead of the hungry taiji-ya.

"Give. Me. My. Breakfast!" she growled in a whisper, still fooling around. Miroku shook his head.

"I don't want to."

Giving up on any pretense of grace, Sango tackled the houshi, causing his breath to come out in a whoosh of air as he hit the ground. Sitting atop his stomach, Sango gave a little giggle, and grasped her prize - the fish.

"I win," she said, pointing to the morsel of seafood. Miroku nodded absently, but before she could take a bite, he flipped them over so he straddled her waist and pinned her hands above her head.

"No, I win," he said, kissing her on the cheek. She gave a flush, and looked away. In doing so, he was given the opportunity to kiss her other cheek, and did so. She looked up at him, soon a bright red.

"N-nani?" she gasped. He smiled down at her.

"One for last night, and one because I wanted to," he explained, helping her to her feet. She looked down, and gave a little sigh, muttering something.

"What did you say?" Miroku asked, ducking his head to try and meet her eyes. She met them hesitantly, still blushing.

"I said: I don't really believe that . . . that . . ." she paused. He smiled at her.

"I know," he replied, patting her on the back. "Let's eat, before Raidon wakes up."

Sango nodded, and looked around for the fish she had dropped when Miroku flipped her. Kirara sat, nibbling daintily at the remains. Miroku burst into loud, gut-splitting laughter. Oh the irony . . . 

Raidon woke, and looked around.

"Nani? What's going on?"

Sango shook her head and sighed, grabbing Miroku's fish.

"Breakfast," she replied absently.

He snorted and stumbled over to the fire, flopping down next to her and slinging an arm over her shoulder. She gingerly removed it, wondering why she hadn't refused to let him stay. Well, there was no reason for him not to stay in the same part of the forest as them. So, really, she had no choice. Maybe she was just wussing out.

Miroku sighed, and grabbed a pail.

"I'm going to get more fish, Sango," he said. In a lower voice, he added:

"Are you all right on your own with him?" he asked. She nodded mutely, and he stood.

"I'll be back soon!" he announced, and Raidon brushed him off.

"Yea, yea; shut up bouzu."

Miroku held his tongue and walked off to find his fish.

---

"SHIPPO!" an irate hanyou hissed, trying to keep his voice low. Kagome was asleep in her room, worn out from a round of tests. The kitsune squealed, running around the yard of the shrine.

Waking Kagome was last on their list, and the kitsune made his way into the shrine before Inuyasha made it out of the house. Running into the yard in time to see a flash of light, the hanyou frowned.

"Nice try, brat," he growled, and started toward the old well house with a firm look on his face. Before he could take two steps, however. . .

"Inuyasha? Koibito? Where are you?"

Torn between his soon (he hoped) to be mate and the death of a certain kitsune child, he turned back toward the house.

"Right out here, Kagome!"

---

Miroku sat on the edge of the stream, waiting for a fish. The tiny nagging in the back of his mind, however, had helped to save the animals life. He couldn't concentrate. Somehow, he felt guilty about leaving Sango alone with that . . . monster.

However, that was not to be his only problem. Moments after yet another fish had made the escape, a small kitsune came bounding over the stream.

"Save me!" he yelled. Miroku blinked at the kitsune in question, otherwise known as Shippo. The child looked up at him.

"Did Inuyasha follow me?" he asked. Miroku shook his head.

"I don't know. Why are you here?"

Shippo crawled off of Miroku's shoulder and peered into the stream before shrugging.

"I ran away from Inuyasha. Kagome's asleep."

It made sense, to Miroku. Kagome was the bulwark that kept Inuyasha from royally whipping Shippo. If she was asleep, he would have had to get somewhere else. Inuyasha wouldn't go through the well without Kagome, so Shippo was safe on this side.

"Well, you and I can go back to the well; I'll give you one of my sha – never mind."

He had been about to offer one of the three shards he kept under his robes, before realizing that Shippo would need a shard to get through in the first place. Ah, well, that made it easier.

"I want to see Sango!" the kitsune cried. Miroku nodded.

"I think we can do that," he said amiably, and Shippo cheered, clambering onto his shoulder.

---

Raidon smiled. The houshi had been gone a little while, and didn't look like he'd be back any time soon. Now was the time to plant the seeds to sow his plan.

"Sango," he hissed at the same time as a cheery, childish voice cried:

"Sango!"

Shippo bounded off Miroku's shoulder and ran to the taiji-ya.

"I missed you!" he said, looking around. "Where's Kirara?"

Sango laughed. He hadn't missed her, he had missed his playmate. Sango didn't feel bad; he was a child, after all.

"Over there," she said, pointing to where the tiny neko lay curled up. Miroku stood at the side of the woods, arms crossed as he leant against a tree.

"Hello, everyone, it's nice to see you too," he drawled, and Sango stood.

"Hello, houshi-sama."

"Shippo shouldn't take too long, he ran away from Inuyasha whilst Kagome was sleeping."

The taiji-ya laughed, and nodded, relaying the message.

"I'll be back soon, Kirara!" the boy called as he ran back to Miroku. Hopping onto the monk's shoulder, he pulled an earring, causing Miroku to wince.

"Well, I'll see him off and come back. I give up on breakfast, Sango," he sighed before he walked off. When he was out of sight, Raidon sighed.

"I wonder who else he'll meet on the way there?" he mused out loud. Sango turned to look at him, puzzled. Raidon feigned equal surprise.

"Oh, you didn't know? I saw him with some woman last night, if you know what I mean," he chucked. Sango paled, looking down. He had been good as of late . . . was it because of his promise? Or was it because of something – or someone – else? She didn't know.

---

It was dusk when Miroku returned, having been forced through the well by Shippo and coaxed into dinner by Kagome. He had thoroughly enjoyed the visit, and came back to camp with a smile.

"Hello, Houshi-sama," Sango said in a cool voice. Raidon sat by the fire, smirking.

"Good evening, Sango, Raidon," Miroku replied pleasantly.

"Did you enjoy your visit?"

"Yes, I did. I had a wonderful host," he said, not knowing that he had just walked into a trap. He, of course, had been talking about Kagome's cooking skills.

"I'm sure you did," she said, her voice cracking. Miroku noticed, and frowned.

"What's the matter?"

"Oh, nothing. It's just . . . I didn't think that you . . . after you said . . ." tears were actively streaming down her face, and Miroku suddenly realized there was something very wrong here. Raidon stood up, looking coldly at the houshi.

"I suggest that you leave, bouzu. You and your habits have upset my fiancée enough," he said in an icy tone, wrapping an arm around Sango's shoulders. She pushed it off.

"I can do this alone, Raidon!" she said, drying her face. She turned sad eyes on Miroku. "I hope you enjoyed her, houshi-sama. Because she's all the company you'll have for the rest of this week. I'm leaving with Raidon tonight."

Miroku was at a loss. Did she think . . . but . . .

"I, I can explain!" he said, angry with himself. How had this happened? One look at Raidon was all he needed. He had somehow managed to find out about his past life, or something, and – but it didn't make sense. He was at a loss.

"Try me," she said coldly. Miroku blinked, still in shock. The sun had gone down, and they stood in the dark now, the only light that of the fire.

"I knew it!" Raidon crowed. "He can't explain it! He went and met his little tart this afternoon after he dropped that kitsune of yours wherever!"

Miroku watched as Sango turned away from him.

"Please leave, houshi-sama. And say goodbye to everyone for me. Tell Inuyasha . . . to be good . . . to Kagome-chan . . ." she whispered. Miroku sighed, and turned around. There was nothing to say. Any denial now would look like a lie. After all the work he put into it . . . it was all for naught. The only thing he had ever been serious about, save his curse, was gone. Lost to sour words and a viper's kiss.

---

Kagome watched from the dim light of her flashlight as Miroku walked into the field. The chess board was set up at her side, a tiny notepad and pen near it. She was all ready for another chat. This was going well! She should really look into a career as a matchmaker.

"Hey!" she called in a little half-whisper as he came closer. "How are things?"

He kept walking, but didn't answer her. Kagome didn't even have to think longer than a moment. There was something wrong. Miroku never acted this way, not even when the Kazaana widened, or he was injured. He was always so sanguine. She got up, her eyes searching his face for any clue as to what had happened. She watched as he came across the field. She watched as he walked over to the chess board without saying a word.

She watched as he very carefully moved Sango's queen – Raidon – to knock over the king.

---

Hey! Don't hurt me . . . please . . . it's not the end! The week is not yet over! I chagrined at the amount of people who figured it out. I mean, I knew it was cliché, but still . . . ah well, at least none of you know what'll happen next! Haha!!!


	7. Day Six, Self Pity does No Good

Well, there were a whole lot of you who were less than pleased. Well, I can't blame you. Raidon is an ass (if you could only meet his real-life counterpart…). As well, I use the word iinazuke again, and it means 'fiancé/. Oh! Kudos and Pocky to Aamalie who helped me with Miroku's angsting, which takes up a lot of this chapter. I had a question this time, so I guess I should get it taken care of…

Kazaana the Furyou Houshi: slaps Iie.

---

Day Six: Self Pity does No Good

---

Miroku sighed. He and Kagome had departed, with the agreement that they would stay the full week, but that he was welcome to come to the future any time he needed. How had this happened? He honestly didn't know how Raidon managed to – he paused. The man had said that he _saw_ him with someone. Did that mean he had followed him to the well? Had Raidon seen him hug Kagome? That was the most plausible idea.

So he had seen that, and twisted it. Taken one of the few innocent moments he had and made it into a lewd one. There was, of course, no reason for Sango to disbelieve her fiancée. He was just an echii houshi who grabbed bottoms and asked women to bear his children. And the one woman he would have asked in all honesty was having nothing to do with him. So now she was engaged to this . . .

Miroku dropped his staff as the realization hit him full force. Sango was engaged to Raidon. There were no more chances. No more hopeful moments. No more dressing wounds, no more joined forces against a youkai (or hanyou, if Inuyasha was being unreasonable). She was leaving them forever, and it was entirely his fault. There was no reason for her to stay. After all, she had to accept that she would have her life destroyed if she came after Naraku. But what about her brother? Was she just going to leave him? A wry grin made its way to his face.

_'He's already dead. We'd be forced to take the jewel eventually, and then all that would be left was a corpse. She knows that. Maybe she's finally moved on.'_

Of course she had. She'd moved past her brother's death, past his lechery, past their friends. She didn't owe them anything. All he had wanted was her, and that's what he had lost.

As he began the journey to Mushin's Shrine, a single tear escaped his control and slid down his cheek.

---

Sango sighed as she and Raidon walked down the road. He was a few paces ahead of her, but she didn't need to see his face to know what look would be plastered all over it. Smugness oozed from him, in his walk, in his easy glance over the shoulder to look her over. He had won some sort of battle back there, and he knew it.

Part of her wanted Miroku to com bursting onto the road, demanding that she come back with him. She quashed it down, insisting to herself that he had been in the wrong, and that this was the best thing to do. After all, he had gone off with some . . . well, Raidon said that he had gone off with someone, in any case. In any other situation, she wouldn't have believed the man, but Miroku . . . he had been so good about not touching her. It only made sense that he'd have to get it elsewhere.

Raidon slowed, and came to wrap an arm around her waist. He flashed a honeyed smile at her.

"What's bothering you, iinazuke?" he asked. She shook her head and forced a smile.

"I'm fine, thank you," she said. He shook his head.

"Don't bother thinking of that houshi, Sango. He's not worth it." When she winced, his eyes took on a triumphant gleam.

"I knew it! You were thinking about him," he crowed. She looked down, and he chuckled, squeezing her hip. Sango wondered briefly if this was what she was meant to be doing.

Should she have stayed? Could she have stayed, knowing he was going off to meet someone. Could she have looked him in the eye the next time he smiled at her, or offered her his shoulder, or . . .

She stopped herself. There was no point to thinking about the kisses he had given her. They had obviously meant nothing to him, however much they had meant to her. Wait – they didn't mean anything, did they? Sango was confused, and hurt. For some reason she felt as if she was in the wrong, like she should be running back to beg Miroku's forgiveness.

As she and Raidon continued on the way to her new home, she didn't look back more than twice.

---

Miroku stopped to bow to Mushin's grave – he had died long ago. The only thing that Miroku regretted was not being there. He had been away, and by the time Hachi caught up to them, the old monk had passed away. But Mushin had always told him that he could come to the temple any time he chose, it was his home as well. Hachi stood at the door, waving to him. He staggered forward, feeling the weight of the past day coming onto his shoulders. The tanuki sighed.

"Are you drunk again, Miroku no danna?"

Miroku smiled wryly and shook his head.

"No, old friend. Though I wish I was," he sighed. Hachi shook his head, and lead him inside. Once there, he offered the downcast houshi a drink – Miroku turned it down.

Hachi gulped.

"Are you certain you're okay, danna?"

"I'm . . . fine," he sighed. The tanuki nodded.

"Ah, I see. You're finally deciding to act like a proper monk. You're going to give up women, sake, lying and thieving and settle down. Good for you, though I must ask, why now?"

Miroku sighed, realizing something. Hachi had pointed out all the things that made him well, the echii houshi he was. It was no wonder Sango didn't trust him. He did like sake a little too much, and he never treated love seriously. But now . . . now that he himself was in love, it was a different matter altogether.

Was that what pushed her away? Was it the fact that he lied and stole, then turned around and 'comforted' the woman of the house he stole from?

_'That was a rather stupid question'_ a voice inside him chided. _'Of course that's it. Gee, let's think about this, bouzu. "Hi Sango, I'm a monk who flouts his vows daily and has grabbed other women's asses often, wanna marry me?" or "Hi Sango, I'm a strong hunter from your past life come to take you back home where you belong, you were supposed to marry me in the first place". Somehow, I don't think the monk is gonna win this one.'_

The terrible, cursed thing about little voices is that they were always right. No matter what. He sighed again, looking at Hachi.

"You know what, old friend?" he said in an almost acerbic tone, "I really do love her, dammit all. Even if it meant giving up everything – drinking, women, thieving, the whole lot – I'd be with her. Even if it meant I had to stop looking for Naraku, and just enjoy a few years of calling her my wife, I'd do it. Just to be with her."

Hachi gave Miroku a shocked look. Who was he talking about?

"Danna . . ." he whispered, but Miroku shook his head.

"Goddammit, though, I don't want to give up searching for that bastard! I want to hunt him down, and kill him. I want to be able to grow old with her. I want to be sitting there next to her when she's old and gray, telling our grandchildren about the echii monk she fell in love with. I want to make a _family_ with her, and be there to see it grow!" he gave a bitter laugh that cut through the taut air like barbed wire. "But that's never going to happen. It's all because of my damn habits! Just because I can't keep my hands to myself, I never managed to truly earn her trust. Not that I deserve it."

Hachi shook his head.

"Danna . . . tell me what happened," he said, and Miroku explained. After he recounted the tale, Hachi shook his head.

"Don't worry, danna. I think we can fix this."

---

Vocab:

Hai: Yes

Nani: What

Gomen (nasai): Sorry

Arigato: Thanks/Thank you

Onegai: Please

Hentai: Pervert

Houshi: Low-level monk

Bouzu: Disrespectful term for low-level monk

Taiji-ya: (Demon) Exterminator

Hiraikotsu: Flying bone (Sango's boomerang)

Hanyou: Half-demon

Youkai: Demon

Miko: Priestess

Ramen: Instant noodles

Kitsune: Fox

Neko: Cat-Demon

Kazaana: Air Void (Miroku's Wind Tunnel)

Shakujo: Miroku's staff with the rings (it has little blades on it, I'm serious)

Ano: Um…

Danna: Master


	8. Day Seven, Watashino ko o unde kudasai

This is the final chapter! Enjoy all that ensues. I know the last one was sort of short . . . but whatever. Leave me alone! The title was an idea from Kazaana the Furyou Houshi, however inadvertent that it was. Translated, I do believe it is 'Will you bear my child?'

Day Seven: Watashi-no ko-o unde kudasai

"What are you doing?"

"Kissing you, apparently,"

"Well, I'm aware of that . . ." _unfortunately _"But why?"

"Because I want to, and because you taste good, and because I really, really want you."

"But you don't love me."

"What?" Raidon sat up. It was dark out, and he and Sango had stopped for the night. Of course, as their first official night together, he wanted to remember it. After all, he had won. And that in itself was worth celebrating.

But, if one's prize was not in 'the mood' then nothing happened. And that was what was happening now. So he turned on the charm.

"Well, iinazuke, I think you're beautiful."

Sango frowned, standing.

"And I think you're sleeping outside, sir. Now get out," she said, pointing to the door of the hut. Raidon gaped.

"Excuse me?"

"You. Sleep. Outside." She said flatly, picking up Hiraikotsu. He frowned.

"You know, we're engaged now, so you're going to have to get used to this."

"To what?" She asked in a low, dangerous voice.

"This! Us! On the same tatami mat!"

Sango brought Hiraikotsu around, and Raidon yelped as he ducked and ran out. Sango sighed and lay back down; ready to get some actual sleep. She wasn't enjoying this idea much. Why had she done this? Was she trying to get back at Miroku?

She shook her head, scolding herself. She wasn't going to think about that houshi. Not at all. But, of course, every time she told herself that, she remembered something that he had said, or done to make her smile, and then she wondered what happened, and got thoroughly depressed. It was then that she told herself not to think of him, and the cycle started once again.

* * *

"So what the hell are you doing again?"

"Fixing your problem."

"Are you sure you're not just making it worse?" Privately, Miroku shook himself for that comment. It couldn't get any worse. After all, she was pretty damn pissed off. But then again, the plan that they had cooked up –inspired by an adventure of theirs long ago – was a long shot and could honestly just serve to make it worse. The only upside to this was the chance he had, the hope of getting her back.

Well, that and the knowledge that he'd be scarring Raidon (whom he'd privately started calling that damn sheep-biting jerk off) for life. He'd need plenty of sake to forget the upcoming escapade.

"Well, if it's any consolation, danna – she can't hate you any more than she does already, after this."

Miroku frowned. "I'm trying to find the help in that comment, Hachi."

The tanuki scurried around, collecting the things he needed to implement their (his) plan.

"Danna!" he said, holding up a pudgy 'finger', "You have to be kind to me. After all, I'm sacrificing my dignity for you and your lady."

"Yes, yes. You're sacrificing dignity, reputation, and many, many laws of nature to do this. I assure you, if you can find another way, then we can use it. I'm sorry, Hachi. If there was someone else…"

"There's not someone, but there's something," the tanuki sighed, grabbing a cup of sake. If his alternate plan didn't fly, he was going to want to be very drunk. Miroku looked over at him, cocking his head to the side.

"it doesn't work quite as well as this, and it'll only last oh-so-long, so she'd have to be inspired to go see him. Again, we can work around that."

"What are you talking about, Hachi?"

The tanuki smiled like the cat that caught the canary as he explained his plan to Miroku.

"Well, first, we need to find that little kitsune, Shippo…"

_

* * *

_

"How about her brother? Koryu or whatever."

Miroku smacked Hachi lightly with his staff.

"His name is Ko_haku_. And there is no way we are going to play so forcefully upon her emotions. I won't do that to her."

Hachi rubbed his head where Miroku hit him. Shippo was seated beside them, nibbling on a small, hard candy.

"Kagome?" he offered, taking the candy out for only a moment. Miroku shook his head.

"No."

"Inuyasha?"

"No."

"Yourself?"

"NO! That will not help matters at all."

The kitsune smiled at them, standing up.

"I'll take care of it," he said with pride. With that, he walked off, leaving a bemused and befuddled pair of companions behind. He found his way quickly and deftly to the hut where Kirara and Sango slept.

"Hey! Kirara!" he hissed in a low whisper. The cat demon perked her ears up blearily, stumbling over to the window.

"I have a fish for you if you come help!"

Kirara woke up at her favorite word – fish. She leapt out the window, being careful not to wake Sango. Of course, that didn't happen. The taiji-ya woke blearily and looked around, knowing something was wrong but not able to put a finger on it. Disgruntled, she fell back asleep for only a few minutes before she awoke and realized what was missing.

Kirara!

The cat in question was following the kitsune, who crossed his fingers and hoped Miroku hadn't gotten hungry since he left. When they arrived, they found that they were in luck. A single fish lay cooked on its stick, to the side. Kirara pounced, and only once she was finished did she sit back and listen.

"Kirara. Your absence is actually a boon to us. When you go back, stay in the forest awhile, until Hachi or I give you a signal. Then, go find Sango. Take her back to camp," Miroku explained.

The neko nodded, and turned to leave.

"One more thing!" he added. "Do _not_ attack either Raidon or the imposter. You'll understand when you get there."

Kirara left, mewing softly. Whatever this was, it had better be good, and it had better get rid of Mr.-Lighting-Bolt. He smelt terrible.

"Kirara!" Sango called. She was at a loss for where her companion could have gone, particularly at this time of night. She had left a sulking Raidon back at camp, instructing him to stay out of the hut lest she be forced to remove him again, telling him only that she was off for a walk.

"Kirara! Where are you?" she sighed, her hunt leading her deeper and deeper into the forest.

Miroku, Hachi, and Shippo stood around a small pile consisting of two changing leaves and an ofuda with 'Sango' written on it.

"Do you have something of hers, Miroku?" Shippo asked. Miroku nodded, digging into his robes. Tied with what looked suspiciously like a piece of Sango's apron string was a lock of dark hair. He dropped it into the pile.

"There," he said with a note of finality. Shippo gave him an odd look.

"How long have you had that?" he asked. Miroku shrugged.

"I don't know, perhaps eight of nine months. Why?"

"Nothing." Shippo cast Miroku an odd glance before dropping the items, not including the hair, in an incense dish. A little cry of 'kitsunebi!' had the pieces burning brightly. Miroku chanted as Hachi used the fire to light a stick of incense and put it into a different dish, placing the hair in the bottom.

A sharp pop filled the air, and the three stepped back. There stood Sango, who blinked. Or, a replica of taiji-ya, anyhow.

"Seduce Raidon," Miroku said in a clear voice, and Sango nodded, walking out of the room. Miroku's eyes were bright with unshed tears of laughter. Oh, to see the look on the sheep-biting jerk-off's face . . .

"Raidon," Sango said quietly from the edge of the forest, her eyes dull. He looked up and sighed.

"Back are you? Well, enjoy your damn nap," he growled, turning away. She shook her head, kneeling down to face him.

"Come . . . with me," she whispered, walking toward the hut. A puzzled but pleased Raidon followed her into the hut. Once there, she pushed her lips timidly up against his. He smiled to himself, thinking she had come to her senses. He nipped at her lip and she opened for him.

Raidon wrapped strong arms around his prize, pressing her against the wall. He had finally won.

"Kirara!" A furtive voice hissed to the neko, who sat washing herself. "It's time."

"Mew," she agreed, and trotted off to find Sango. She didn't have to go far before she found the taiji-ya. With a firm 'mew', she caught her mistress' attention. Sango bent and picked her up, smiling.

"There you are, Kirara. I was beginning to wonder where you had gotten to."

The two of them headed to camp, unknown third and fourth parties following.

_

* * *

_

"Ah!" Sango hissed, feeling a gentle nip at her collarbone. Raidon smiled, wondering why he was so damn lucky. This was wonderful. Here was the one woman who had ever turned them down, and now she was at his mercy. His hand slid over her hip to her waist, and he heard a startled gasp.

Sango stood at the doorway, Kirara in her arms.

A cry ripped through the air, and Miroku knew that she had entered the hut. He came close enough to listen, but didn't enter, not yet.

"What are you doing? Who is that?"

"Well, I thought it was you."

"Then you're more of an idiot than I thought. Get out of here and take whatever that is with you! I don't know what's going on."

Inside, Sango's eyes met the floor. She was confused. It was such a shock to see herself there, and it hurt. She didn't know why, but more than anything it hurt. A voice came from the doorway, acerbic and hard.

"Is this what you want?" Miroku asked, turning his eyes onto the true Sango.

The replica had dissolved the moment Hachi snuffed the incense. He, too, was outside, with Shippo. Someone watched from the forest, a long way off.

Sango turned to see him leaning in the doorway, arms crossed.

"What do you mean?" she asked, not meeting his gaze. Why was he here?

"Do you want the life you just saw? He'll wed you, bed you and that'll be it. After that, you couldn't begin to count the number of women he'll take to his bed. You'll be the quiet wife, raising the children and standing by his side at celebrations. I can't see you living that life, Sango, can you?"

A long moment passed before she shook her head.

"No," she whispered. "I . . . I won't live like that," she said in a stronger voice, looking at Raidon, and tossing away the ring he had given her.

"I won't stand here and do this, Raidon."

"There's more to it than that," Miroku told her. "He has a few things to tell you. Little details, about my so-called infidelity."

"What?"

"Oh, yes. He didn't ever tell you about the 'woman' I met."

"Be quiet!" the man snarled, throwing himself at Miroku. He was thrown back by the houshi.

"Tell her."

Raidon glared, angry.

"There's nothing to tell!"

"What about the fact that you saw nothing, if not a hug? And it was a platonic hug at that. But that's not the point. Tell her what she wore."

"A weird kimono! What the hell is so important about that?" Raidon was standing again, looking confused and angry. Sango blinked. An odd . . . kimono . . .

"Kagome-chan?"

Miroku smiled and nodded. "Hai. An innocent hug. She and I were celebrating . . ." he explained.

With those words, Sango's heart filled with hope. Hope for her, and for them. Maybe, if he hadn't met anyone, could they . . . ? His words, however, triggered a curiosity.

"Celebrating what?"

At this, Miroku grinned sheepishly.

"Well, you see, Kagome has, well, been coaching me, to help me . . . win you."

Sango smiled, walking over to wrap her arms around his chest and hug him.

"You won me a long time ago, Miroku," she said. He smiled and wrapped his arms around her.

"For the record, however," she continued, "You will be punished for not telling me outright, and putting me through a very confusing week."

"Of course, koi, but right now . . . can we just enjoy this?"

Sango leaned up to kiss him, forgetting about Raidon, who had crawled out the window only moments ago. The two of them stayed like that for a long while, before moving inside to sleep.

Outside, Kagome sat in the woods, smiling at her friends from her spot in the tree.

"Checkmate," she sighed, leaning into Inuyasha to sleep.

Well, that's the end. It's rather sad, but I like it. The joke behind Mr.-Lighting-Bolt is the fact that Raidon's name means something like thunder god or lighting god or whatever. So . . . yea. I hope you enjoyed it. Individual review responses should be sent off within the week, so if you review anonymously, leave your e-mail please.

Until next story!


	9. The Idea is 'Thank You'

Hey!

It's Lily here, author of Checkmate! The total review count for Checkmate when all was said and done was 89. I find that amusing and appealing, knowing that a story that started as a half-assed idea in the middle of math class (I'm not joking) could do so well. Thank you so much for taking the time to read and review my story.

If you read this strictly (or not so strictly) because you enjoy the Sango/Miroku pairing, I'm going to shamelessly suggest the oneshot AU of mine, called Stuck in the Middle with You.

--- PREVIEW ---

Sango sighed and pressed the button to go back up to the top. A floor or two up, the elevator stopped, and the doors opened. Miroku walked in.

"Evil Kagome, evil Shippo, evil, _evil_ Inuyasha," he muttered, looking around the small space.

"Didn't tell me I left my coat here."

He was looking around on the floor for the black form. A cough alerted him to another presence.

"This?" Sango replied wryly, and Miroku gave a cry of triumph.

"Thank you, my beautiful hime!"

Sango rolled her eyes. "I'm not a hime," she said dryly.

"You look like one," he responded. "It's been awhile, LaRoc."

"For a reason," she said dryly. Neither of them noticed the doors had closed, or that they were moving downwards. Miroku clutched at his heart.

"You pain me so, my dear Sango."

"Yea, yea, next you'll want a kiss to heal the wound," she said sarcastically. He winked at her.

"How did you know?" he asked, straightening. He fell over, though, when Sango fell into him as the elevator made hissing screeching noises and fell at a stomach-churning pace. She gasped as they fell into forever.

---

I know some of you have already reviewed it, so Pocky to you! Well, Pocky for everyone, but extra Pocky for you!

Also, I know I said this would be e-mailed, but the amount of people who reviewed was phenomenal! I had to do this as an extra chapter. Thus the preview above, since doesn't allow non-story content, which is stupid, because the whole thing is run by bots anyway.

On with the gratuitous praise!

Anikki: Ah . . . thanks for letting me know! I'm a huge Evanescence fan, which is probably why it was on my computer without a title…ehe…

Myriadragon: I totally agree with you about the ending, but I wasn't sure how to wrap it up. I change d my game plan halfway through…argh…thanks for reviewing!

Silver Flame of the Phoenix: No marshmallows for you smacks hand You didn't finish reviewing, and now I'm sad sniffle…Oh, I finished Alone, by the way, the one with you in it.

Anime-Manga-Lover-23: Thanks!

Shaniqua: Yes…fluff is good…

Sango fan!: Well, I left you the URL for the Sango/Miroku one, but the only other Inuyasha thing I really have right now is Beauty and the Beast, and I _hate_ where it's going right now. I need to get Kat-chan to give it a total overhaul.

Dark-Angel-Shui-17: I'm glad you enjoyed the story, sis. By the way…you need to e-mail me, I have a favor to ask of you…

Custos: Glad you liked it!

SM-Together: Thanks! It's all done now..whew!

Queen of All Chipmunks: Okay! I finished! Call off the chipmunks all ready! Hope you enjoyed.

Aamalie: I'm glad you enjoyed this story so much. I'm actually a fan of a lot of your work, and it's really cool when one of your favorite authors reviews your stuff. Thanks!

Kuramasgirl556: Yes, I did read your fics, you should find my reviews on there (I hope). They were pretty well done (your stories, that is).

Kat: You think so? I thought it was sort of an easy idea…thanks though! I'm glad you like it!

Queen of Air: Glad you like it so much and I hope you enjoyed!

Midoriko Sanban: grins I'm glad you liked it so much, I mean, I'm totally psyched that you liked this one.

April May: Whee! I found the Evanescence song, I'm a huge fan, and it is a pretty cool one I admit. Thanks for reading and enjoying the story!

Sekitan: I was actually surprised no-one had thought of chess before. Well, they probably have and I just haven't found it. Thanks!

Sango'n'Miroku Forever: Thanks!

Dog Demon: Really? I would have called it OOC, but I'm glad you like it!

Punk-Rocker-Sango: Thanks so much!

Pline: Updated and finished, my friend! Enjoy!

Sailorpsychosis: Thanks! I pride me on my grammar… (lol)

Personification of Fluff: Yea, you're line gave this story the extra push it needed to hit cloud 9. Thanks a ton! As for why…well…because it works, lol. And I'm glad you like the chess analogy.

JadeGoddess: Thanks! I'm glad you like the plan. The original one was actually pretty bad…cringes

Kaida-kun: Now why would I be nice? grins Hope you enjoyed!

Kazaana the Furyou Houshi: No, there is no reconsidering. Thank you for the review, however. grins and brandished frying pan

Black-Moon-Goddess: Heey…I've seen that movie! Was awesomeness…gotta love Ed. Thanks for letting me know! Have you any clue how to play? nibbles on bubblegum cigar

Evelyn12345: Um…that's the end grins sheepishly I'm glad you liked it though.

Demon-Slayer13: No sequel as far as I know, I have no plot for one! And I just finished a story by request, which I totally hated, because it was a weak idea to begin with…so while I'm flattered that you loved it, I don't think there's gonna be a sequel.

JadedDemon: Thanks.

Sango: I'm glad you liked it!

Demon Exterminator Barbie: Oh, I know Raidon sucks. In all honesty, he was based of a jackass from my old school who acted in a similar and more lecherous manner. Thanks for reviewing!

Mesmer: Thanks!

Chibi Keruri: WAFF is good…so if fluff…thanks!

Gabsterz: Thanks! I'm not a fan of the ending myself, but I'm glad you like it!

Loonysango: Glad you enjoyed it!

Doggyears14: Yes, bad Raidon. Hope you enjoyed and hope to hear from you soon! And yes, Kikyou must die (again, lol).

Anime-luva00: Glad you liked it! tosses pocky

Chee Cheez Chan: Totally psyched that you liked this story, dude!

Flamingfiresenshi: Thanks! I'm glad you find it funny, most people just call my humor weird…

KuroKage: Thanks! I'm glad you like it.

Suicidalslayer: Ooh…no, I did not know that. Thanks for telling me scratched out half a page of B&B Hope you enjoyed and sorry for the little oops!

OneUnheardVoice: Well, they don't get together, thankfully! Hope you enjoyed!

That's all folks! Oh, and by the way, I have (some time in the slightly-distant future) another Sango/Miroku oneshot coming out. It'll be posted on mediaminer, because . . . well . . . it's lemon. If you wanna read it, send me an e-mail with the subject: and I'll put you on a mailing list for it. If you want to be alerted when I update anything else, leave the title of the story in the subject bar, as well as your e-mail.

Enjoy! And thanks for reading!


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